In its report ‘Performance Audit on Derailment in Indian Railways’ submitted to Parliament last month, CAG noted that the railways should ensure that “joint advisories” issued by the Ministry of Environment & Forest and the Ministry of Railways be followed scrupulously to prevent animal deaths, which in turn will also help in preventing derailments on this account.

According to the report, a total of 63,345 animals were run over during the period in question.

In these three years, the CAG found that 63,345 animals, including 73 elephants and four lions, had died after being run over. The CAG said that to prevent train accidents involving elephants, general advisories approved by both the ministries had been jointly issued to the railways in 2010. The advisories include clearance of vegetation on sides of railway tack, under passes/overpasses across railway track to allow elephants to escape, signage boards to pre-warn train drivers, sensitizing programs for train drivers, guards and station masters, engagement of elephant trackers, and to keep railway track free from food waste that attract elephants.

Joint inspections conducted in 102 sections across 18 divisions on nine ZRs (zonal railways) by officials of Audit Department and Engineering Department of ZRs show that there is a 76% shortfall in construction of underpasses and ramps for the movement of elephants at identified locations, 4% shortfall in fencing at isolated locations and 64% shortfall in deployment of forest department staff in railway control offices.

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